The present invention relates to the field of sleep aids and, more particularly, to a thermoplastic mouthpiece for helping to reduce snoring in a wearer.
It is well known that many people snore when asleep. Snoring is an unconscious activity which is often not even noticed by the person who snores, but is typically quite bothersome to those sleeping nearby.
Medical references define snoring as a rough, rattling, inspiratory noise generally produced by vibration of the pendulous palate, or sometimes by the vocal cords, during sleep. Snoring may be produced as a rale, especially a whistling or sonorous rale produced in the larger bronchi or the trachea. This condition is caused by some narrowing of the upper airway passages, such that when the person is asleep, the airflow is somewhat obstructed and must be forced.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides a thermoplastic mouthpiece which may be custom fitted directly by the user to conform to his or her natural dental arch. The mouthpiece is reusable, but intended to be disposable at the user""s discretion. The thermoplastic mouthpiece includes an opening at an anterior portion of the mouthpiece, the portion which keeps the wearer""s lips spaced apart when the mouthpiece is properly worn in the mouth. With the lips slightly apart, the anterior opening allows free airflow in and out of the wearer""s mouth, thereby helping to reduce snoring.
In use, the wearer heats the thermoplastic mouthpiece until it softens sufficiently for biting down on the mouthpiece to imprint the wearer""s teeth pattern thereon. The mouthpiece includes a protective mold along a lower surface, the mold extending upwardly to also protect lateral surfaces of the mouthpiece. The protective mold is thermostable and does not soften when the mouthpiece is heated, which is preferably accomplished by placing the mouthpiece in a hot water bath for a few minutes. When the mouthpiece softens and cools a bit, the wearer inserts the device into the mouth such that it is substantially aligned with the dental arch, and gently bites down on the mouthpiece to thereon make an impression with his teeth. Of course, along the lower surface of the mouthpiece the protective mold prevents the teeth from leaving an imprint. This helps maintain a proper angle of inclination between the spaced apart lower and upper surfaces of the mouthpiece, and it is this angle which is most helpful in keeping the wearer""s lips apart during sleep, and thus help the airway to stay open. Once the mouthpiece has been imprinted, the wearer removes the protective mold and inserts the mouthpiece into his mouth when preparing for sleep.